Tribology issues in machining

Machining is the process of shaping materials into useful articles by remov ing the unwanted material. In traditional machining processes such as in cu tting and grinding, the unwanted material is removed by mechanical means us ing a cutting tool. Since the tool makes contact with the workpiece and eit her the tool, the workpiece, or both are in motion, tribology (i.e., the st udy of rubbing or sliding) becomes an important issue. Tribology has a cruc ial and significant role as an enabling technology, since tool wear is a ma jor problem in the production of reliable and cost-effective products. This paper reviews recently published articles related to the wear of cutting t ools and grinding wheels. These papers are classified into such areas as th e wear process, measurement of wear, reduction of wear through the use of d ifferent cutting tools and abrasive materials, strategies used to monitor w ear during machining and grinding, and in-process control of machining to c ompensate for tool wear.